INTRODUCTION
In 2024, the Watts of Power Foundation made significant strides in our mission to recruit, train, and retain Black educators, addressing the critical need for equity in public education. Through the transformative power of education, we are building a brighter future for students, families, and communities.
Our flagship initiative, the Teacher Village Initiative (TVI), remains a beacon of innovation and support. Valued at $67,000 per fellow, the program provides comprehensive training, mentorship, and resources to ensure success in and beyond the classroom. This year, a landmark $50,000 grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation enabled us to offer student teachers a $45,000 living stipend during their residency year, ensuring financial stability and making the profession more accessible. This funding also positioned us as a competitive choice for aspiring educators, further enhancing our impact. Also, thank you to the Boulder Fund Founders and Funders event for providing a valuable space to think through our strategy.
We proudly expanded our reach in 2024, impacting 33 teachers across 18 schools in 8 districts, including LAUSD, KIPP SoCal, and National Board Certification for Teachers. Through partnerships with organizations like California Teacher Residency and KIPP Ignite, we brought our Components of Care curriculum to life, equipping educators with strategies to foster meaningful, inclusive classrooms The revenue generated from this program helped sustain our mission while supporting districts in retaining high-quality educators.
Our commitment to innovation was exemplified by the launch of eduCARE, an AI-powered simulation platform designed to enhance educators' ability to care for students. This forward-thinking approach integrates technology into teacher training, setting a new standard for professional development. Additionally, we introduced a summer fellowship program for foster youth, further extending our reach to marginalized communities
As we reflect on 2024, I am inspired by the disruption we are creating in education. We are challenging systems, fostering equity, and building a network of empowered educators dedicated to transforming the lives of students. Together, we are creating lasting change and paving the way for future generations
Thank you for standing with us in this vital work. We look forward to continuing this journey with you in the years to come.
Dr Peter Watts
Co-founder CEO
BEYOND THE PILOT
DATA WORDS FROM OUR FELLOWS
Teacher Village Fellowship Applications Received. 20
Teacher Village Fellowship Applicants Accepted. 14 7 Accepted Candidates hold an Undergraduate Degree. Credentialed teachers by May 2025 in our program.
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Teacher Village Fellows Eligible for Fall 2024 Residency in Partnership with Cal State University Dominguez Hills and LAUSD.
“Since the beginning of the fellowship to the end of year one, I have significantly grown as a leader and a Black Male Educator, becoming more confident and proactive in my role. I have learned to be more caring and attentive in the classroom, fostering a nurturing environment where students feel heard and supported. My ability to connect with students on a personal level has improved, allowing me to address their individual needs more effectively.”
-Mr. Javiyan Jones
“The village initiative felt specifically curated for me and the issues I’ve encountered on my journey to become a teacher. There’s a lot of options and roads one can take to become credentialed but this one felt special in that, I had the chance to develop some solid relationships with leadership that didn’t feel generic at all.”
-Mr. James David Wilson
2024 IMPACT
In August of 2023, Teacher Village Fellowship launched with a remarkable start! The momentum created during the previous year of programming took the Watts of Power Foundation story nationwide. As a result, this increased the number of interested Fellows in our programming, boosted the number of school based and community organization partnerships and even garnered the interest of local and national foundations and donors. Each component helped establish a strong foundation for the Watts of Power team, which led to a great start to the year where we made notable progress towards achieving extremely ambitious goals!
Completed Pilot
All of the teachers in our pilot of five are now teaching in classrooms. Two will receive their credentials in May 2025.
In 2024, we tripled our impactserving 21 Black male teachers, reaching 2,100 students and families.
Rention Rate
TVI is proud to report an 80% retention rate, with 100% fellows expressing a sense of belonging within the Village. This strong community support contributes directly to their sustained progress toward credentialing.
Partnerships with organizations where we provide support to educators of color across school districts and institutes of higher education.
CSUDH LAUSD USC
Hawthorne School District National Board Certification
OUR EARNED REVENUE
In 2024, with invaluable support from the Boulder Fund and my executive coach, Joey Gustafson, we made significant strides in refining our earned revenue strategy. Their guidance helped us gain clarity on the true costs of running our business, enabling us to develop accurate pricing models and more robust revenue generation strategies. This clarity transformed our approach to sustainable partnerships, fostering better conversations and successfully closing the loop on initiatives that align mission impact with financial viability.
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Groundbreaking Partnerships
In 2024, our coaching and earned revenue strategies paved the way for a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Hawthorne School District and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This partnership reflects the tangible impact of our work, demonstrating how tailored coaching and sustainable revenue models can drive meaningful collaboration Through this MOU, we’re not only expanding our reach but also supporting Hawthorne’s commitment to increasing the number of Black educators and retaining top talent
We completed a Fall semester Components of Care course at CSUDH with 12 teachers from LAUSD. We have an additional 14 educators registered for our Spring 2025 course which begins January 2025. Additionally our trainings included 12 extended learning teachers at Kipp Ignite who went through our on-demand online course. 26
15 Components of Care Sessions
Educators
Through our new partnership with National Board Certification and their California Black Educator Initiative we have impacted 100 Black educators in LAUSD, Hawthorne School District, and Kipp So Cal who are beginning the journey to become nationally board certified. Watts of Power have recruited these teachers and over the course of the next 2 years will continue to provide support and resources to assist them in completing certifications.
OUR TRAINING:
Our Training is what we consider our Secret Sauce. Throughout the year our Teacher Village Fellows were impacted significantly by our Components of Care curriculum as were teachers and educational leaders from partner schools in Los Angeles and beyond.
Teachers from Components of Care Course at CSUDH
The course was very informative and the instructor was even better
The wealth of information and how the components were aligned with what we as teachers encounter and make decisions about everyday
The relevant information was applicable to my circumstances as an educator.
It is relevant to me as a teacher of Black kids. How thorough the instructor was about components of care
Teacher Village Fellow Reflections & Feedback
I have grown in how I approach the classroom. It all starts outside in preparation for the job to come. I feel like I have grown with organizational and self awareness skills
I have grown as a leader in my classroom and campus, the conversations I have had have prompted me to take on more of a leadership role on campus.
I have really understood the value I bring to my school and to my kids. Having a community of Black educators empowers me to continue to grow and impact my community.
I’ve become more SMART goal oriented, realistic, and pragmatic about the steps to reaching my fullest potential. I feel more comfortable reaching out for support, and safe to be vulnerable.
Thanks to the California Community Foundation’s Ready to Rise grant, the Watts of Power Foundation launched the TVI Rise Fellowship This is a transformative, threeyear commitment designed to expose socially disenfranchised college students particularly those impacted by the foster care system—to the rewarding career path of becoming an educator. Over the course of three consecutive summers, participants will receive the training, mentorship, and hands-on experience needed to navigate the pathway to becoming credentialed teachers. Our mission is to empower students with the support, resources, and community to thrive as educators. TVI Rise will also uplift those impacted by the juvenile justice system with opportunities.
Program Overview:
Week 1: Intensive Training
Participants will engage in a variety of workshops focused on Team Building, Leadership Development, Social/Emotional Well-Being, and Career Exploration. This foundational week equips students with the necessary tools to succeed both personally and professionally in the teaching field. Additionally, field trips to educational settings will allow them to see firsthand the impact of teaching on communities.
Week 2: Hands-on Experience
During the second week, participants will receive a stipend to work in an educational environment, gaining valuable hands-on experience. This immersive experience allows them to apply the skills they've learned while developing practical insight into the day-to-day responsibilities of educators.
TEACHER VILLAGE HOUSING
The goal is to raise $2.2M in private funding by 2025.
Access to stable, affordable housing remains one of the biggest barriers for aspiring educators, particularly those from underserved backgrounds. In 2024, the Watts of Power Foundation made major strides in addressing this challenge through significant investments and strategic partnerships to expand housing for Teacher Village Initiative (TVI) fellows. Thanks to key funding from New Schools Venture Fund and The Boulder Fund, we launched our capital campaign in 2023, to build new affordable housing for TVI. These investments positioned us to gain approval from the City of Los Angeles, ensuring we can move forward with securing permits and staying on track with our draw schedule.
In 2024, LA County Supervisor Holly Mitchell has championed our efforts, supporting housing initiatives specifically for foster youth who are students at Cal State Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). Aligning with our TVI: Rise Fellowship, which provides stability for former foster youth pursuing careers in education.
As part of these efforts, CSUDH dorm housing became an option for our fellows, allowing students like Leodes Van Buren Jr to move into on-campus housing This collaboration strengthens our ability to provide multiple housing solutions that fit the diverse needs of our fellows.
The number of fellows at full capacity of the program 40 40
The number of housing units needed to house fellows during residency
On Giving Tuesday, we were thrilled to celebrate a monumental milestone: raising $35,000 of our $50,000 goal—a significant step forward in securing the capital needed for our RTI (Ready-to-Issue) permits from the City of Los Angeles! Thanks to our donor community, we are closer to breaking ground on the new Village housing project, slated to begin construction in 2025. This progress brings us closer to building more than just homes; we’re creating a legacy of community, support, and opportunity for Black educators and their families.
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OUR FINANCES
It has been an incredible year for The Watts of Power Foundation. The organization has been able to secure $445,000 in foundation grants with an additional $51,000 in donations, $10,000 in rents and $128,000 in earned revenue through professional development and subscriptions to its propriety training curriculum Components of Care.
All of the finances go to support the recruitment, training, retention and housing needs of Black male educators. Our team is intentionally small to ensure that the majority of the resources are used to increase the Black educator pipeline while diversifying the teaching profession.
Additional revenue is generated via our fee for service. We offer professional development for schools, and affinity groups specifically for the purpose of retention of their Black educators.
OUR PARTNERS
CALIFORNIA BLACK OR INITIATIVE
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Camelback Ventures
“Third time’s the charm.” That’s what Dr. Peter Watts thought in 2020 as he opened his email to check the response from Camelback Ventures. After applying for the Fellowship twice before, he hoped this time would be different and it was! Camelback Ventures welcomed Dr. Watts into its Fellowship program, setting the stage for transformative growth at the Watts of Power Foundation (WPF).
Camelback’s focus on coaching, capital, connections, community, and curriculum provided Dr. Watts with critical tools and a supportive network to build a sustainable pipeline of Black male educators. Dr. Watts credits the Camelback Ventures Fellowship with transforming the way his organization approaches earned revenue and financial sustainability. Through the program’s entrepreneurial curriculum, he gained invaluable insights into budgeting and cost analysis, key tools that have enabled WPF to sharpen its financial strategy and better sustain its impact on the education sector and reshape WPF’s approach to earned revenue and financial sustainability. Through training in budgeting and cost analysis, WPF sharpened its financial strategy, allowing it to deepen its impact in addressing the shortage of Black educators
“Investing in and supporting diverse business leaders is about more than uplifting individual ventures. It’s about the multiplying effect those businesses have on our communities.” said Shawna Young, CEO of Camelback Ventures. “Watts of Power Foundation and The Teacher Village initiative are powerful testaments to that impact. As Black-led businesses face some of their toughest challenges to date, Camelback Ventures remains unwavering in our commitment to stand in the gap. We’re not just invested in helping ventures survive, we’re empowering them to thrive. Going beyond initial funding to provide sustained mentorship, coaching, and connections to experts in critical areas like growth and fundraising is how we all create lasting equity and resilience for the future.”
Today, the Village Initiative supports 17 TVI Fellows, 8 mentor teachers, and a total of 33 educators across 18 schools in 8 districts, including LAUSD, Compton Unified, and Alliance Public Schools. These educators are making a tangible difference in classrooms, benefiting thousands of students each year.
With Camelback’s ongoing support, WPF continues to address inequities in public education. The ripple effect is clear: by investing in WPF, Camelback has helped shape a future where more students have access to teachers who reflect their experiences and inspire their potential. This partnership underscores the power of community-driven change and shared commitment to educational equity.
NATIONAL NEWS
1MTOC CAMPAIGN
Acknowledgements
It truly takes a village to transform communities, and our work would not be possible without the dedication, commitment, and collective action of those who believe in the power of education to change lives. We extend our deepest gratitude to our Village our educators, families, principals, mentors, and community partners who continue to invest their time, energy, and care in this work. A heartfelt thank you to the Village fellows who embody the mission of Watts of Power every day, stepping into classrooms with courage and commitment to reimagine what education can be for Black students. Your resilience, passion, and leadership inspire us all.
To the principals and school leaders who open their doors and create space for our fellows to grow, mentor, and serve your guidance and belief in this work create pathways for the next generation of Black educators
To the families and communities who support our fellows, welcoming them into classrooms and trusting them with your children’s futures your partnership is the foundation of everything we do.
To our community partners who have stood beside us in this journey, including school districts, advocacy groups, and faith leaders—your collaboration strengthens the movement to retain and sustain Black educators.
We are that Village!!!
FELLOW STORIES
Cordell Thompson Cohort 1
Cordell Thompson
Cordell Thompson is a shining example of resilience and determination as one of the first Village fellows to enter Student Teaching A graduate of California State University, Northridge (CSUN), Cordell joined the Teacher Village residency program when it was just a pilot. While enrolled, he worked full-time at Smart & Final to support himself.
Over the past two years, Cordell has persevered through challenges and is now co-teaching at San Pedro High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District. His journey was made possible through financial support, including a $35,000 Living Stipend from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) Residency grant Additionally, Cordell received an extra $10,000 from the Watts of Power Foundation, funded by a grant from the S. Mark Taper Foundation, to further support his educational and professional goals.
These residency dollars allowed Cordell to leave his job at Smart & Final and focus on student teaching fulltime, replacing his lost earnings and giving him the stability needed to dedicate himself fully to his training. This support has put him on the path to graduate in May 2024 with his teaching credential, marking a significant milestone in his journey to becoming a highly effective educator.
Cordell’s dedication to becoming a highly effective teacher serves as an inspiration to other fellows navigating similar pathways. Your contributions help sustain programs like The Teacher Village Initiative, ensuring that fellows like Cordell have the resources and support to succeed in their journey to becoming credentialed educators in Los Angeles.
Jamaal Randall Cohort 1
Jamaal Randall (Mr. Lee)
Jamaal Randall’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of the Teacher Village Initiative Jamaal first connected with Watts of Power while working as a substitute teacher at Windsor Hills Magnet. It was there that he met a Watts of Power board member who also works at the school.
Recognizing Jamaal’s potential and passion for teaching, the board member introduced him to the Village Residency program during its pilot year. With the comprehensive support of the Watts of Power Foundation, Jamaal transitioned from substitute teaching to becoming a district intern, entered the Village Residency program, and ultimately became a fully credentialed teacher. Today, he teaches at Windsor Hills Magnet, where a unique community of educators is taking root. This school is home to three other Watts of Power Village fellows and mentor teachers, embodying the foundation’s mission of building a Village to support educators and impact student achievement.
In addition to his teaching, Jamaal is a talented music artist who integrates his creative gifts into his daily lessons. By incorporating music and artistic expression, Jamaal connects with his students in meaningful ways a skill he honed during the fellowship and the Components of Care training with Dr. Didi Watts. These innovative teaching methods not only engage students but also foster a deeper love of learning.
Jamaal’s story highlights the importance of community, mentorship, and creative pedagogy in shaping impactful educators. With your support, the Watts of Power Foundation continues to empower teachers like Jamaal, helping them to inspire the next generation and elevate student achievement in Los Angeles
Fontae Smith Cohort 1
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Avery Watts Cohort 2
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